Walking into a good situation

[Sir Purr]

His former Jets teammate Josh McCown, who also played for the Panthers from 2008-09 and counseled Darnold through his rookie year in New York, pointed out a more subtle connection which could help with Darnold's transition to his new home.


The year before Darnold arrived in New York (2017), McCown was there when John Morton replaced Chan Gailey as offensive coordinator. Morton's previous job was as the wide receivers coach with the Saints. As McCown explained, even after head coach Todd Bowles replaced Morton with offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates in 2018, the passing game concepts for Darnold's rookie year remained consistent from the previous year, based on the Saints' principles which Brady grew up on. (Bates did adapt the Jets' running game that year, implementing more of the outside zone system the 49ers are running under Kyle Shanahan.)


"The stuff Sam was asked to do as a rookie is really similar to what Joe Brady and the Panthers want to do now," McCown said. "He really did have a comfort with that passing game, and he flourished in it.


"I think from a schematic standpoint, this could be a real sweet spot for Sam."


Darnold's still getting to know his new coaches, and is having his first full day of face-to-face interaction with them Monday. And while it's too soon to know what to expect this year, he acknowledged that McCown's point was valid.


"For sure, there are some similarities to what I did my rookie season," Darnold said of the film he's watched of the 2020 Panthers. "The system was good for me, and I felt like I settled in nicely."


But beyond any Xs and Os (or any Christians or Joes), Darnold said he mostly feels grateful to be in Charlotte, to have a chance to hit reset on his career at such a young age, and to be in a place where active steps were taken to acquire him.


"To go from being unwanted to being wanted is huge," Darnold said. "Getting that news that you're going to be traded, of a team saying, 'Hey, we didn't want you," for whatever reason, is hard.


"But right now, I feel great about it, and I'm excited to get here, and get started."